PRISONER IN VIETNAM. The Dewey Wayne Waddell Story | F-105 Thunderchief and the Hanoi Hilton
1,009,739
Published 2022-06-12
North Vietnam’s treatment of American airmen shot down and captured over North Vietnam was a subject of controversy and concern throughout the Vietnam War.
From the very beginning of the war, North Vietnam’s stated position was that American prisoners captured in North Vietnam were “war criminals” who had committed crimes against the North Vietnamese people in the course of an illegal war of aggression and that therefore the American prisoners were not entitled to the privileges and rights granted to prisoners of war (POW) under the terms of the Geneva Convention.
The Vietnamese were accused of brutally torturing their captives – beating them with fists, clubs, and rifle butts, flaying them with rubber whips, and stretching their joints with rope in an effort to uncover information about American military operations.
The Americans were forced to record taped “confessions” to war crimes against the Vietnamese people and to write letters urging Americans at home to end the war. Poor food and medical care were standard.
Prisoners were often isolated to prevent communication with each other, in addition to being denied communication with family members. American prisoners sometimes died in captivity, from wounds sustained in combat, or at the hands of their captors.
In Paris on January 27, 1973, American and Vietnamese representatives signed agreements for the cessation of hostilities and the repatriation of war prisoners. Operation Homecoming began the next month and ended in April.
During that period, 591 American P.O.W.s returned home. Representatives of the U.S. military debriefed returnees for information regarding the more than 2,000 Americans still listed as missing.
According to the government, none of the P.O.W.s were able to provide definite information about any remaining captives. Both the Nixon administration and the Vietnamese government concluded that all living P.O.W./M.I.A.s had been returned.
Wayne Waddell was born in 1935 in Bremen, Georgia. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC Program at Georgia Tech on June 9, 1956, and went on active duty beginning June 3, 1957. Lt Waddell completed Undergraduate Pilot Training and was awarded his pilot wings at Laredo AFB, Texas, in September 1958, and then completed all-weather interceptor training in the F-86 Sabre at Moody AFB, Georgia. He remained as an instructor pilot at Moody AFB until December 1960, and then served as an instructor at Craig AFB, Alabama, from January 1961 to June 1965. Capt Waddell then received an Air Force Institute of Technology assignment to complete his Masters's Degree at the University of Southern California from June 1965 to September 1966. After completing F-105 Thunderchief Combat Crew Training, he was assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, in April 1967. Maj Waddell was forced to eject from North Vietnam and became a Prisoner of War while flying his 47th combat mission on July 5, 1967. After spending 2,070 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973, and then attended Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Col Waddell then remained on the faculty of the Air War College until 1975, when he transferred to the Pentagon and worked on the Department of Defense Joint Service Committee on Air Munitions Standardization from 1975 to 1979. His final assignment was as director of U.S. Air Force Emergency Plans for the Eastern United States at Dobbins AFB, Georgia, from 1979 until his retirement from the Air Force on October 27, 1987. Col Waddell served as President of NAM-POWs Corp, the Organization of former Vietnam Prisoners of War, from 1981 to 1984.
00:00:00 Dewey Waddell
00:00:48 Growing Up In Georgia
00:02:22 F-105 Thunderchief
00:03:24 Vietnam
00:05:18 The Mission
00:06:57 Robin Olds
00:09:04 Mission: Railroad Yard
00:12:17 The 5th Of July 1967
00:17:39 Survival Training
00:21:32 Prisoner
00:29:48 "Hanoi Hilton"
00:30:38 "The Zoo"
00:31:48 Son Tav Raid
00:34:30 Tap Code
00:38:34 Name. Rank. Serial Number
00:45:42 "Today, you write your Autobiography."
00:53:27 Eternal Peace
00:55:53 Going Home
01:03:39 "It was the shock of Confirmation."
01:07:43 "I don't have a driver's license."
01:09:58 "Something that needed to be done."
#prisoner #vietnam #veteran
All Comments (21)
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Major Waddell, I wore your MIA bracelet from about 1970 until the end of the war, while in High School. I happened upon this YouTube and am very happy. I did not know your story or what happened to you. I have been to the Vietnam memorial in DC and saw that you were not on the wall. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. I am so glad you survived and hope you are doing well! Sincerely, JIM
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What an amazing man! My sister and husband live in Bremen, GA. I live in Douglasville, GA. I didn't know that such a hero lived so close. I am sending a link to this video to my sister who lives in Bremen. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. I am proud of our Vietnam Veterans. Several of my older cousins served on the front lines. They all got to come home but were changed forever from their experiences. You are a tremendous blessing and inspiration. My husband, Johnny, just passed away on July 15, 2023 and in a surprising way, I was touched by your story and gained hope and strength in what I am going through. That small light you saw that brought you peace and comfort at the beginning of your captivity and which helped you endure almost 6 years as a POW, gave me hope that I can endure what is ahead for me after losing my husband of 44 years and 9 months. The smallest whisper can sustain. Thank you!
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On behalf of my brother, a Vietnam Marine vet who served two tours in some ugly places, I thank you for your service. They May have held you but they didn’t break you as is evident by the twinkle in your eye and the way you recount your stories. I know they say World War II had the greatest generation and maybe I’m biased but I think the Korean and Vietnam War generations were pretty effing awesome as well.
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Sincerely thank you for your service. I sobbed with your story, my brother was injured walking point and then killed during his removal from the site when the helicopter was blown up, August 21,1967 right after your capture, he was 19 years old, he was a high school state wrestling champion and earned a perfect infantry training score. My husband died from Agent Orange related illness. He was removed from Vietnam, burn injuries, but was found to be highly toxic and sent to Korea. We had three children, all with renal failure, all of them transplanted with their first between 9 and 20 years old. no definitive answers to date but we are positive it's all connected. Now there's been 6 kidney transplants between them and one waiting for a liver and kidney. I'll never forget those soldiers walking toward the barn to tell us my brother was dead, I was 16 and hid behind the milk tank, but it didn't stop the news.
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What a privilege to hear first hand the story of a brave and incredibly strong man who endured a 6-year nightmare far beyond the conception of most people. His ability to calmly articulate his experience and to accept the pain of separation from family, the death of his father and the desertion of his wife is exceptional. I find it extremely ironic that his captors had more compassion for him, by withholding the existence of his wife's divorce papers, than she or the miserable excuse for a human being who would represent someone whose spouse was a prisoner of war.
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How can you not love this man?!! Nothing but admiration and respect for all our warriors! God Bless!
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I am proud of you. Your service to me and America is priceless. It was an honor to listen to you.
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Our 4th grade teacher told us of her husband a Navy Pilot being shot down and a POW. Mrs. Morgan from Porterdale Ga. This was around 1966. She Loved him and wanted us to know about him. She was a wonderful Lady. Thanks for your service.
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Awesome testimony. My uncle was shot down in 1964 fling a F-101 doing recognizance photos. He was a prisoner. He never came home. Can't imagine being a prisoner of war. My father in law was in WWII and had an experience behind German lines with an angel pointing how to get out of enemy territory. I believe it was because of his wife's prayers. I love hearing these stories. Makes you thankful for what you have.
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My family was at Maxwell AFB in ‘72 when many POWs out processed there. We hosted family friend Col Carl Crumpler who returned after five years in the Hanoi Hilton. He was shot down in an F-4D. He flew F-86s with my dad who was now in War college at Maxwell at the time. I saw Col Crumpler’s POW pajamas and sandals made from truck tires. He still had scares on his ankles from leg shackles. Col Crumpler was a great American like all our POWs. RIP Sir.
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I can't thank Dewey enough for sharing his story with us. This video will help preserve his history and legacy.
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Mr. Waddell, you are an inspiration Sir. I'm sorry you've had to endure so much, and sincerely thank you for your service to our country. God bless you.
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Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. It was an honor to hear your story. You sir are an American hero!
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This was an intensely moving story. Dewey's strength can hardly be measured. To say that I found this to be inspirational is an understatement. I'm beside myself.
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As a Former US Marine 1973 - 1984, Thank you, to you Also, I Grew up in Real Quick in The Marines, And Even Faster, in Nam, I still at times Remember, and can Smell it,, It Took me 32- Years, to get my 100%, I've been on" Phych Wards," and on Phych Meds , For many Years, Until, I've Decided To Stop Taking them !!!, ( I Really Started to see, the Colors in the Pictures,) I GOT Better, And Realize, I did a Service to this Country, "Without a Hero's Welcome," And Had to deal with " Being Back in The World,".... ( Hard But Fair, " Maybe, " ) I'm gonna cut this short, Because alot is starting to come Back to me, That I tried to Put away in my Head, But THANK YOU, G.C.WILLIANS , USMC , 1973 - 1984 TODAY, JULY 11, 2023.
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Glad I listened to his story. As a helicopter jockey in Vietnam, I experienced the same feelings about the people there and felt that they liked us. God was surely watching over him and I give thanks to the Lord. I would love to me him and understand that peace, even today. It sustains me! I hated no one and was just doing my job to support the best, who fought the war on the ground.
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I was so touched by your story..You are such a courageous man, making little of the torture you suffered..like so many of your fellow prisoners of war..How you survived is testament to your belief that you would be freed one day, and your sheer bravery. I have read many other accounts of POW's in Vietnam..and have never failed to be moved. God bless you Sir, and all who served in that war..
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BREAKING NEWS ALERT !!! This man is a true hero, not some football or sports player but this man. Men like this are few and far in between. Most Americans today look at sports figures, famous musicians or famous rappers as a hero and they are not even close. As a matter of fact they probably couldn’t even carry this man’s boots much less wear them. SIR GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
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I learned a lot from this man's story. He's a war hero. It's just really cold blooded that his wife didn't love him enough to even write him two full letters during his years of captivity,then to top it off she divorces him (like becoming a prisoner was his fault somehow). He shows much class.
